Right handed deba 167mm on edge. Overall length is 320mm, handle is 136mm. Handle is Macassar Ebony, with a fossil mammoth ivory spacer and a spalted maple burl ferrule. I will get handle dimensions when i get home from work.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040112.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040114.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040118.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040117.jpg

This is my first deba, been working on it for the last 6 months or so. Will have this one posted for sale here real quick, just wanted to show it off. What do you guys think?

schanop

10-25-2012, 06:27 PM

Looks nice. What's the spine thickness? If this is meant to be a hon-deba, the bevel may be a tad wider at the heel than typical Japanese ones for a 5.5. sun deba. You should do a bit of uraoshi, and post the pic too.

Lefty

10-25-2012, 06:33 PM

I think it looks great, Mike! Is there a ura ground in? It's tough to tell from the pics. I like the new maker's mark too.

Maybe I'll get to see it in person, but I hope it sells before then, for your sake.

Mike Davis

10-25-2012, 06:40 PM

Spine thickness is sitting at 5mm, and yes, urasuki is ground into it. It is probably 1.5mm deep in the center. I will measure bevel height later also

Lefty

10-25-2012, 07:13 PM

Nice, I figured, since you have the means. Lookout other single bevel makers. If it works like the passaround gyuto, it's gonna be great!

EdipisReks

10-25-2012, 07:18 PM

damn dude, that looks great!

HHH Knives

10-25-2012, 07:26 PM

Super nice deba Mike!

cclin

10-25-2012, 07:53 PM

nice job!1

SpikeC

10-25-2012, 08:06 PM

Yowza! You have some Japanese genes lurking in there somewhere?

RRLOVER

10-25-2012, 09:08 PM

I was able to see this in person,it is a beauty!

Mike Davis

10-25-2012, 11:06 PM

Actually Mario, i just finished this while i had someone's special knives handles drying.....I just got this one finished today! Thanks guys :)

Lefty

10-25-2012, 11:21 PM

My knives are special. Are they mine??? Haha

Andrew H

10-25-2012, 11:28 PM

Right handed deba 167mm on edge. Overall length is 320mm, handle is 136mm. Handle is Macassar Ebony, with a fossil mammoth ivory spacer and a spalted maple burl ferrule. I will get handle dimensions when i get home from work.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040112.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040114.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040118.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/munky2/P1040117.jpg

This is my first deba, been working on it for the last 6 months or so. Will have this one posted for sale here real quick, just wanted to show it off. What do you guys think?

Very nice. What steel, Mike?

Mike Davis

10-26-2012, 09:24 AM

Steel is 52100 at 61 RC.

Burl Source

10-26-2012, 06:06 PM

The 2nd photo threw me off.
What I now see is a reflection at the top of the handle, I thought was sapwood.
DUUUUUUHHHHH!
Beautiful knife and handle Mike.
I should have known better.

knyfeknerd

10-26-2012, 06:31 PM

Looks great Mike. So happy to see N. American single bevels. Where is this beauty headed?

Mike Davis

10-26-2012, 11:58 PM

This one has no home. I am still undecided with what i want to do with it. I sharpened it up today and want to cut with it before i decide. I am still not sure about the profile...

Lefty

10-27-2012, 01:00 AM

Mike, I love that you make sure the knife works as you planned before sending it out. Lots of guys don't do that. I am really noticing it right now with the gyuto.your extra effort makes a huge difference.

Mike Davis

10-30-2012, 11:31 AM

Thanks Tom. I want to make sure that what i am selling is up to par. I feel that if i am going to make single bevel's, i want to study them as much as possible and make them right.

Just a feedback regarding an American Deba. from a Home Asian cook ( Chinese/ Malay Origin)

Was deliverered to me when the Stock delivered Mike's Baby and I understood that he didn't have time to touch up as Baby was coming out and wife. I suppose was in blissful agony adn father presumably was in ecstasy and I as confident that I can do the fine the touch up and didnt want to wait. Perfectly understandable in such times then. I missed teh 1 million layer Damascus by 45 minutes and thought better to snag it as some sellers prefer to sell it to fellow Americans.

There were a few small nick after his wacking testing and I dutifully started working on it scraping off teh small nicks on a 1000 grit stone after which I used 600 grit sandpaper to thin the blade road adn proceeded to teh stone respectfully bearing in mind that it is a convex edge and proceeded metal polish namely autosol to the buffing wheel and left it aside. Much of the blade road area was thinned with sandpaper.

Today, my grandma ( constant companion for teh last 14 years as some board member speculated or postulated that I am living all alone due to my post of ": balance of Power" ) wanted to eat grilled fish. I remember that the deba was ready in waiting adn went down stairs to buy a couple of fishes abt 8 inches long each uncut and not gutted. Paid RM 22 equivalent of USD7 in total adn thus the contest between the Davis Deba and the 2 pieces fo fish began.

Round 1.
Objective was to make butterfly cuts with the a) head b)also on the body with the spine and secondary bones removed so that each pieces will be grilled separately. IN Asia some people like to eat the bone area as it is suppose to be sweeter. It is common for us to use our hands as to some, teh food would taste magically wonderful. It is an art by itself. ( using of hands to eat which is a necessity in more rural areas as it is not good manners not to be in harmony with the hosts. Out of respect they may offer you a fork adn spoon but when you do as they do... eating with your hands... a feeling of respect and having a meal together is complete.... You dont dine or eat with your enemies...

a) When the teh tip of the deba went through the stomach area till just below the mouth area.. it was a smooth cut. I opened the slit stomach and ma ma mia.. it was a nice surgical cut thru all the organs. Passed with flying colors!

b) Cut thru the head.. No problemo.. no rubber mallet required just a quick jerky press adn it was done. Just one jerk. I was surprised.. Passed with flying colors!

c) next was to butterfly the head. Had some problems removing the gills. For safety sake, I prefer to slice it vertically downwards as it wld be safer as using it sideways with much force... OOOh anything can happen. Sseparated the meat on the two sides of the backbone around the head region so that it can be flattened, THis is where teh steep curve of the blade does not match my unusual cutting style as I have to raise the handle higher for the tip to enter the head of the knife. A more gentle upsweep of the profile will only present less raising of the handle. Still a solid pass IF not due to my idiosyncratic unprofessional style
d) separating the meat from the backbone till the top so that it is one large piece. This was no problem as the intention was not to make it as thin as possible so that teh bone ( area) eater would have some meat!

The fish was grilled on the lodge cast iron flat plate. I had the body, grandma had the head, spine and the Top area( dorsal fin)

Round 2.
Objective was to cut from the nose to the tail on both sides adn as close as possible adn hopefully leave as little meat on the spine as possible after which toi slice into small thin slices. MY skill is severely lacking as i am still far away leaving a thin transparent layer on the skeleton.

Deba went thru the paces flawlessly.

Most probably I will slice it into small pieces on a carbon steel pan with ginger, onion and shallots and some greens .

All in all.. a great knife, much respect to a new knife maker having the audacity to test the Japanese Knife makers. It wld have been an orgasmic experience but I am pass that age. Just less aggressive upsweep wld have been perfect for me.

By the way.. The knife was highly polished as I was surprised that the patina ( light purplish gray developed so quickly right before my very eyes inspite of constant wiping. Havinng said that at an angle , you still cant hid ethe mirror shine. THis is the first time that I am using a 52100 steel. The Burke scimitar will be ready whenever I am invited by a rural village headman for a feast in the honour of a visitor.. But Alas I am not going there anymore ( Cambodia) as I learnt that teh water there still has high level of arsenic adn when I was living there.... I lost so much weight for no apparent reasons and I suspect that could be the main cause

All in all took me about 45 minutes as I struggled with the gills as I didnt have my fish pliers with me. Washing the insides of the fish over running water can be quite therapeutic just like knife sharpening

I hope that the pics turn out fine....

As Muhammad Ali wld say....." No Contest."

Rgds

D

Mike Davis

04-24-2013, 01:41 PM

Wow....Thanks for the very detailed review, David!!! I am very glad.to see this knife getting put through some paces. Patina is beautiful...